There is so much fear in the world today. There is a virus that is spreading globally and people are afraid of it. Not much is known about it except that for the vast majority of people, it will not be a hard illness to go through.
However, for segments of society, it can and will be deadly. I’m one of those individuals. I have existing and significant lung damage and my immune system is impaired by the medications I take for the severe allergies that caused the lung damage.
I know that if I catch this virus, it is more than likely that I will not survive it. However, I am not afraid.
I was face-to-face with death just over two years ago when the doctors in the hospital told me that I was not expected to live through the night. At that time, I faced my mortality and, instead of focusing on it, I looked into eternity with God.
My prayer at that time was for those I would leave behind. I knew I would miss my family but that I would meet most of them in heaven in the future. I remember laying back into the bed, closing my eyes, and telling God that I was ready to go.
While I was ready, it was not in his plan for me to die that night. I lived and while I didn’t heal completely, I have a life that has been filled with him and my spirit is healed.
When I see the fear of the people, really the fear of all the nations, I am sad. It seems that even those who have been saved by Jesus Christ are being consumed by fear.
Fear and worry will add nothing positive to your life. You will not be able to change one single thing by either emotion. You will not live longer, you will not stay well. You will not thrive because them.
There are two types of fear spoken of in the Bible. One is the fear of God. That fear means a reverent acknowledgement that God is supreme. He is awe inspiring and we should look at him in amazement.
The other type of fear is not from God. It is an emotion that will wear you down and, if you live with it constantly, it can destroy you. This type of fear is from Satan.
Satan seeks to turn you away from God and to focus only on yourself. Fear does that. You start fearing everyone and everything and, before you know it, hate can emerge. If only this person or that thing was gone, you would be okay. Some people then start to take actions to make it happen.
God tells us over and over again, more than 80 times in the Bible, to not fear. He tells us that he is with us and will protect us.
That doesn’t mean we won’t get sick, we won’t lose our jobs, we won’t have hunger, we won’t have mortality. It means that, if we have accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation, God will protect us from Satan’s horrific plan for humanity. Satan wants us to join him in torment for eternity.
God’s promise of protection is that he will not allow that to happen to those who believe in him. He will give us his strength to get through this and any other trial in the future.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.